THE SCOTS GARDENER 



There are some sorts of fruit-trees that will blow 

 and bear themselves to death, when young or middle 

 aged; from such, cut most of the blowing buds, and 

 thin the head to make it shoot again. 



I got some cherries, and other stone-fruit from 

 Holland, which tooke this decay; wherefore in the 

 spring, I cut off the blowing buds and the branches, 

 near the place where the tree headed, reserving only 

 some buds for receiving the sap, in case they should 

 have put f urth at the middle of the body, or a little 

 above ground ; this made them shoot new wood. 

 Therefore I conclude, that by this, and delving a- 

 bout, you may keep ill-thriving trees. 



There are also some aples and pears, that will be 

 full of false-bearing buds, that do not blow : such 

 have got more head than the roots can well main- 

 tain, and consequently have not strength sufficient 

 to spare sap for blossoms, f arr less for fruit, which 

 by pruning and thinning the head, and by slitting 

 the bark of the body in spring, may be made after- 

 wards to bear well, when they have put f urth new 

 shoots at the head. 



Some trees there be that will not bear of them- 

 selves till they be old ; but if you cut off the head 

 of the shoots, as soon as ever the spring-shoot is 



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